London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
Men of trades and sellers of wares in this city have oftentimes since
changed their places, as they have found their best advantage. For
whereas mercers and haberdashers used to keep their shops in West
Cheape,[92] of later time they held them on London Bridge, where partly
they yet remain. The goldsmiths of Gutheron’s lane and Old Exchange
are now for the most part removed into the south side of West Cheape,
the peperers and grocers of Soper’s lane are now in Bucklesberrie, and
other places dispersed. The drapers of Lombard street and of Cornehill
are seated in Candlewick street and Watheling street; the skinners from
St. Marie Pellipers, or at the Axe, into Budge row and Walbrooke; the
stock fishmongers in Thames street; wet fishmongers in Knightriders
street and Bridge street; the ironmongers, of Ironmongers’ lane and Old
Jurie, into Thames street; the vintners from the Vinetree into divers
places. But the brewers for the more part remain near to the friendly
water of Thames; the butchers in Eastcheape, St. Nicholas shambles,
and the Stockes market; the hosiers of old time in Hosier lane, near
unto Smithfield, are since removed into Cordwayner street, the upper
part thereof by Bow church, and last of all into Birchoveris lane by
Cornehill; the shoe-makers and curriers of Cordwayner street removed
the one to St. Martin’s le Grand, the other to London wall near unto
Mooregate; the founders remain by themselves in Lothberie; cooks,[93]
or pastelars, for the more part in Thames street, the other dispersed
into divers parts; poulters of late removed out of the Poultrie, betwixt
the Stockes and the great Conduit in Cheape, into Grasse street and St.
Nicholas shambles; bowyers, from Bowyers’ row by Ludgate into divers
places, and almost worn out with the fletchers; pater noster makers of
old time, or bead-makers, and text-writers, are gone out of Pater noster
row, and are called stationers of Paule’s churchyard;[94] patten-makers,
of St. Margaret, Pattens’ lane, clean worn out; labourers every work-day
are to be found in Cheape, about Soper’s land end; horse-coursers and
sellers of oxen, sheep, swine, and such like, remain in their old market
of Smithfield, etc.
That merchants of all nations had their keys and wharfs at this city,
whereunto they brought their merchandises before and in the reign of
Henry II., mine author wrote of his own knowledge to be true, though for
the antiquity of the city he took the common opinion. Also that this
city was in his time and afore divided into wards, had yearly sheriffs,
aldermen, general courts, and assemblies, and such like notes by him set
down, in commendation of the citizens; whereof there is no question,
he wrote likewise of his own experience, as being born and brought up
amongst them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account